ee We

344 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

cold sticks to sleep. Meanwhile, their wives at home were
required to be very careful, since a woman’s heedless playing
would cause injury to her husband, and faithlessness, his death.
These restrictions were obligatory during the absence of the
expedition.

As the party neared the enemy’s country, they would con-
ceal the craft under projecting trees by day and travel only at
night. When within striking distance, a scouting canoe was
sent forward to learn the hostile dispositions, the best means
of approach, and so forth. This was usually done at dusk, and
when the scouts had returned, the party would steal quietly
through the forest and hide behind the unsuspecting village.
At dawn the leader would give the signal, and the attackers
would rush forward with a fierce shout, killing all the men and
seizing women and children as slaves. When captives were
taken by slave members of the expedition, they belonged to
the latter’s masters. The victors would cut off the heads of
their victims, seize what loot they could, set fire to the village
and rush home before support could arrive from neighbouring
towns. At first, the slaughter was usually a somewhat un-
pleasant task, but as the warriors became inflamed with the
heat of battle, they began to delight in killing, and even women
and children frequently suffered.

The exulting victors sped homewards, rejoicing at their
success but somewhat fearful that they might be cut off by
overwhelming reinforcements. During the journey, each
warrior who had taken a head removed the scalp by cutting
the skin around the cranium close above the eyebrows and ears.
These trophies were washed at the rock Skotsexumunsta on the
fiord below Bella Coola. When within sight of home, the
captain stood up in the canoe and sang again his xe-t7a song, a
symbol of victory as the bloody scalps were held aloft. Women.
and children would rush forth to greet the conquerors who
landed amid scenes of wild enthusiasm and rejoicing.

Prisoners of war became the property of those who had
taken them, with the exception of those captured by slaves.